Hiking in Deep Creek Conservation Park

[whitefang]

Here is a few photos from my walk last week at Deep Creek CP in SA.


Xanthorrhoea along the coast

Heading into Deep Creek Cove

Fire regeneration

Climbing out of Deep Creek Cove

Deep Creek Waterfall

Moarch butterfly

Lazy Eastern Grey Kangaroos

[photohiker]

Nice shots there whitefang.

Tempted to go back. Where did you walk and where did you start?

[whitefang]

Thanks, photohiker.

We started at Goondooloo Cottage (near Cobbler hill) and followed the Heysen trail until we reached Trig campground then broke off and followed the Deep Creek Cove Hike until we reached Tapanappa for the night. On our second day we followed the Heysen trail all the way back to Goondooloo Cottage.

It was our first overnight walk and we didn't want to walk too far each day, but in reality if we had started early enough we could have done this in just the one day. It was quite a nice walk all-in-all. Walking down into Deep Creek Cove and back out on the steep side was the highlight of it all, but the Heysen trail between Tapanappa and Trig was beautiful too.

[cams]

Great shots. I like the climbing one and the kangaroos.

[photohiker]

Thanks, photohiker.

We started at Goondooloo Cottage (near Cobbler hill) and followed the Heysen trail until we reached Trig campground then broke off and followed the Deep Creek Cove Hike until we reached Tapanappa for the night. On our second day we followed the Heysen trail all the way back to Goondooloo Cottage.

It was our first overnight walk and we didn't want to walk too far each day, but in reality if we had started early enough we could have done this in just the one day. It was quite a nice walk all-in-all. Walking down into Deep Creek Cove and back out on the steep side was the highlight of it all, but the Heysen trail between Tapanappa and Trig was beautiful too.

Cool, I might give that a go for a training hike but extend it to Tunkalilla beach. No problems crossing Deep Creek at the cove?

[whitefang]

No problems when we crossed, but I'm not sure how far the tide comes in.

[photohiker]

Managed to get away to do this yesterday and today. We were held up leaving late so couldn't extend the hike past Tapanappa as the sun was already setting when we got there. Still a really nice circuit: Trig -> Deep Creek Cove -> Tapanappa -> Camp -> Heysen Trail -> Trig.

The creek was flowing but not that deep or too fast across the sandbar. Cold though...

Click for larger image:

[whitefang]

Great photo! I expect the waterfall would have been flowing nicely.

[photohiker]

Great photo! I expect the waterfall would have been flowing nicely.

Sure was, occupied by some tourists so didn't spend much time there. We had to pick our way over the creek to continue up to Trig, you wouldn't want a lot more flow than that.

[whitefang]

Wow, I've got to get back down there soon. Looks much nicer than when I was there.

I had the same issue walking the Yurrebilla Trail the other week, especially in Morialta. If there had been more flow in the creek I would have had a bit of an issue crossing the creeks.

[eggs]

Yes. Deep Creek loop using the Heysen trail is a great short walk.
We did it as a variant to the through walk from Cape Jervis to Tungkallilla as reported here: http://bushwalk.com/forum/search.php?keywords=Next+day+we+placed+the+cars+&t=7641&sf=msgonly
I also took a group of keen young lads through last Dec on a wet day. Creek was still flowing and the place was still green.

The key to crossing the Deep Creek mouth was to realise that even if the tide is in, the lagoon is very shallow and can be easily waded if the entrance rocks are getting covered by wave surges.
It has been a very wet start to the year here in SA. My local recordings have the rain almost at the annual average, and it is only July.
Been at Morialta a few weeks running now, and have turned back at the upper track crossing on the way to 3rd falls due to the level of the stream there.

A few shots from back in Dec then:

Deep Creek mouth at lower tide level and a small creek flow.

Deep Creek valley from the wonderfully steep climb out.